Group’s new headquarters expands services for teen parents

The United States has the highest teen pregnancy and birth rates in the developed world. What's more shocking is that certain Clark County ZIP codes have some of the highest birth rates in the world, according to the Southern Nevada Health District's website southernnevadahealthdistrict.org.

In order to expand more services and assistance to local teen parents in the Las Vegas Valley, Southern Nevada Children First, which helps pregnant homeless youths and young parents, has moved into a new and improved facility in North Las Vegas, thanks to a partnership with Station Casinos and Grand Canyon Development Partners.

"This is a tough issue that they're tackling," said Lori Nelson, vice president of corporate communications for Station Casinos. "They're passionate and well-organized, and they're committed to helping young adults through what is a very difficult, challenging time in their lives."

The new facility at 3755 W. Lake Mead Blvd. will serve as the group's headquarters. Station Casinos donated more than $100,000 toward construction costs as well as the building, a former day care facility, to the nonprofit for a 10-year lease for $1 per year.

"We've really embraced their mission and what they've done with the community," Nelson said.

Grand Canyon Development Partners handled the construction management at no charge.

"Our company culture is based on giving back," said Sam Nicholson, president of Grand Canyon Development. "This organization does wonderful work with the community. They benefit young parents and children by providing counseling and other services that give disadvantaged youths training to be successful."

Nicholson estimated that his company donated roughly $50,000 worth of services, including donations solicited from business partners.

The approximately 20,000-square-foot facility will help the nonprofit increase its services and programs. The new location also allows for growth in the number of youths served through intensive case management, education assistance, and access to food, safety, shelter and mental health care, said Monique Harris, founder and executive director of Southern Nevada Children First.

The new facility is equipped with waiting rooms, clinical and psychiatric offices, and playgrounds.

"The play areas help the kids stay engaged so that therapy doesn't get boring," Harris said. "This way, they look forward to therapy."

Next month, the nonprofit is set to begin a partnership with Sunrise Children's Foundation to provide day care services for children up to age 5.

The nonprofit also is expanding its mental and behavioral health services to include Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, an evidenced-based treatment for young children with emotional and behavioral disorders that places an emphasis on improving the quality of the parent-child relationship, changing parent-child interaction patterns and helping to improve maladaptive parenting skills.

"This will help moms fix negative behaviors without getting physical," Harris said.

Young parents will also have the opportunity to partake in exercise classes, which include Zumba Booty, and Twerk and Tone classes. In addition, the classroom component of the nonprofit is set to teach young parents about safe sex and prepare them with job training and resume workshops.

The nonprofit is seeking financial and material donations for young parents and their children.

Construction of the building began in May and finished in July. It is valued at $115,000.

To commemorate the new headquarters, Southern Nevada Children First held a Tile Breaking Ceremony on June 9 that included dignitaries breaking a piece of tile to help mark the occasion. Guests were also given tours of the new building to view the ongoing construction progress.

"It's still a work in progress, but we have big plans for the future," Harris said.

Visit childrenfirst-nv.org or call 702-487-5665.

— To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.